Nem Adom Fel

Budapest, Hungary

Critical Need

Almost 1 million Hungarians are living with a physical or mental disability, and there are great disparities in employment rates and education levels between able-bodied Hungarians and Hungarians living with a disability. Although recent government legislation and programs have attempted to tackle these issues (and others such as accessibility), with varying degrees of success, there exists a need to empower and employ people living with disabilities in Hungary. It’s not only those living with disabilities that are at a disadvantage in these areas – unemployment and education levels are also low for Hungary’s Roma population. Unemployment for the Roma is 3-5 times higher than for other Hungarians, and they are heavily segregated and discriminated against in the country’s education system. Additionally, the Roma in Hungary are more likely to be impoverished, suffer from insufficient housing, and lack of access to healthcare.

Nem Adom Fel Foundation (meaning ‘I never give up’) was founded in 2005 with the mission to empower Hungarians living with disabilities, with a view that everyone has something to give, everyone can help someone else. They have since expanded this mission to the Roma communities around Hungary, raising funds to create daycare, social support for students, and other community initiatives.

Our Involvement

Planeterra created a partnership with Nem Adom Fel Foundation in 2018, at first connecting the foundation’s restaurant, the Nem Adom Fel Café and Bar, with tour operator G Adventures, to include a meal stop for their tours visiting Budapest. Planeterra has also supported Nem Adom Fel Foundation with a grant to be used for upgrades to their cafés operations and marketing, as the café sometimes suffers a lack of customers since it opened in 2016.

Impact

With an investment into its operations, the café’s employees are able to better serve customers, including around 1,000 travellers that are going to be visiting annually from G Adventures. The improvements to the café and its marketing will result in an increased customer base, which will increase revenue. The more money the café makes, the more funds can be channeled into the Nem Adom Fel Foundation’s work to advocate for Hungarians living with disabilities, and to invest in their programs that positively impact the lives of Hungary’s Roma communities.